Supporting apparatus of compressor

ABSTRACT

A supporting apparatus of a compressor comprises: a shaft fixed perpendicularly to a base plate; a first sheet member insertedly coupled to the shaft and disposed at an upper surface of the base plate; a second sheet member inserted upon the shaft movably in a vertical direction, to which a mounting bracket connected to a compressor is mounted, a spring disposed between the first sheet member and the second sheet member, for performing a damping operation; and a stopper for preventing excessive shaking of the compressor by restricting a distance in which the second sheet member moves. Accordingly, the supporting apparatus of the compressor can prevent a compressor or pipes connected to the compressor from being damaged due to vibration transmitted from the outside by restricting a displacement that the compressor mounted in a product can move when the product is carried.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a supporting apparatus of a compressor, and more particularly, to a supporting apparatus of a compressor capable of preventing a pipe connected with a compressor from being damaged by excessive shaking of the compressor when a product in which the compressor is installed is carried.

2. Description of the Background Art

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a machine room of a refrigerator in which a general compressor is installed.

In general, a machine room 102 is positioned at a lower portion of a rear surface of a refrigerator main body 100, and various components for making a cooling cycle, such as a compressor 104 performing a compressing operation of a refrigerant or the like, are installed in the machine room 102. A suction pipe 106 and a discharge pipe 108 through which a refrigerant is sucked and discharged respectively are connected to the compressor 104, and the suction pipe 106 and the discharge pipe 108 are connected to an evaporator or a condenser making a cooling cycle. And, a mounting bracket 120 is mounted at a lower side of the compressor 104, and the mounting bracket 120 is mounted on a base plate mounted at a lower surface of the refrigerator main body 100 to be buffered by a supporting apparatus 112.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with the conventional art.

The supporting apparatus of a refrigerator in accordance with the conventional art includes a shaft 150 fixed perpendicularly to the base plate 110 mounted at a lower side of the refrigerator main body 100; a first sheet member 152 insertedly coupled to the shaft 150 and supported by an upper surface of the base plate 110; a second sheet member 154 inserted upon the shaft 150 movably in a vertical direction, to which the mounting bracket 120 of the compressor is mounted; and a spring 156 installed between the first sheet member 152 and the second sheet member 154 and reducing the amount of vibration transmitted to the refrigerator main body 100, which has been generated from the compressor 104.

A snap ring 158 for preventing the second sheet member 154 inserted upon the shaft 150 from being detached therefrom is mounted at an upper end of the shaft 150.

An interval (L) between the first sheet member 152 and the second sheet member 154 is maintained by an elastic force of the spring 156, and the interval (L) is long enough to reduce vibration generated from the compressor.

However, in the supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with the conventional art, because the interval (L) between the first sheet member 152 and the second sheet member 154, which is long enough to attenuate vibration generated from the compressor, has to be maintained, the compressor excessively moves in a product such as a refrigerator in which the compressor is mounted when excessive vibration is applied to the product in carrying or moving the product with a transporting means. By such excessive motion of the compressor, a suction pipe and a discharge pipe that are connected to the compressor are damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a supporting apparatus of a compressor capable of preventing a compressor or pipes connected to the compressor from being damaged due to vibration transmitted from the outside by restricting displacement in which the compressor mounted in a product such as a refrigerator can move when the product is moved.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a supporting apparatus of a compressor comprising: a shaft fixed perpendicularly to a base plate; a first sheet member insertedly coupled to the shaft and disposed at an upper surface of the base plate; a second sheet member inserted upon the shaft movably in a vertical direction, to which a mounting bracket connected to a compressor is mounted, a spring disposed between the first sheet member and the second sheet member, for performing a damping operation; and a stopper for preventing excessive shaking of the compressor by restricting a distance in which the second sheet member moves.

The stopper is separably coupled to a stopping groove formed at an outer circumferential surface of the shaft, restrains the second sheet member from moving up and down when a product in which the compressor is mounted is carried and is separated from the stopping groove after the product is installed.

The stopper comprises: a knob portion; fixing portions extended from both sides of the knob portion and elastically inserted upon an outer circumferential surface of the stopping groove; and guide portions formed at both end portions of the fixing parts and spread out, for guiding the stopper when the stopper is inserted in the stopping groove.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a supporting apparatus of a compressor comprising: a shaft fixed perpendicularly to a base plate; a first sheet member insertedly coupled to the shaft and disposed at an upper surface of a base plate; a second sheet member inserted upon the shaft movably in a vertical direction, to which a mounting bracket mounted to a compressor is mounted; and a spring disposed between the first sheet member and the second sheet member, for performing a damping operation, wherein a supporting portion for supporting the spring is upwardly extended from the first sheet member so as to prevent the spring from being bent, and a supporting portion for supporting the spring is downwardly extended from the second sheet member so as to prevent the spring from being bent

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a unit of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a product in which a general compressor is mounted;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with the conventional art;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fixing clip in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

There may be a plurality of embodiments of a supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with the present invention, and hereinafter, the most preferred embodiments will be described.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with a first embodiment includes: a shaft 10 fixed perpendicularly to a base plate 110 mounted at a lower surface of a product; a first sheet member 12 insertedly coupled to the shaft 10 and disposed at an upper surface of the base plate 110; a second sheet member 14 inserted upon the shaft 10 movably in a vertical direction, to which a mounting bracket 120 mounted to the compressor 104 is mounted; a damping spring 16 disposed between the first sheet member 12 and the second sheet member 14, for preventing vibration generated from the compressor 104 from being transmitted to a product through the base plate 110; and a stopper 18 for preventing excessive shaking of the compressor by reducing a distance in which the second sheet member 14 can move up and down when a product in which the compressor 104 is mounted is carried.

A lower end of the shaft 10 is fixed to an upper surface of the base plate 110 by welding, bolt engagement or the like, and a snap ring 20 for preventing the second sheet member 14 from being detached is coupled at an upper end of the shaft 10.

A through hole 22 through which the shaft 100 passes is formed at a central portion of the first sheet member 12, and a groove 24 to which a lower end of the spring 16 is insertedly fixed is formed at an outer circumferential surface of the first sheet member 12. And, a through hole 26 is formed at a central portion of the second sheet member 14 in order that the second sheet member 14 is inserted upon the shaft 10 movably in a linear direction. A fixing groove 30 to which a mounting bracket 120 of the compressor 140 is insertedly fixed and a groove 28 to which an upper end of the spring 16 is insertedly fixed are formed at an outer circumferential surface of the second sheet member 14.

The first sheet member 12 and the second sheet member 14 are preferably made of a rubber material so as to perform a self-buffering and avoid a metal-metal contact. And, an interval (H) between the first sheet member 12 and the second sheet member 14 is long enough to absorb vibration generated from the compressor 104.

The damping spring 16 is preferably constituted by a coil spring having an elastic force strong enough to support a weight of the compressor 104 and performing vibration attenuation.

The stopper 18 is for preventing shaking of the compressor 104 by restricting a resonant movement of the damping spring 16 when the product in which the compressor 104 is installed is carried or moved by using a transporting means. The stopper 18 is separably coupled to a stopping groove 32 formed at an outer circumferential surface of the shaft 10 to thereby restrain the second sheet member 14 from moving up and down.

Here, the stopping groove 32 is formed in a circumferential direction of the shaft 10 so that the stopper 18 can be inserted therein. And, the stopper groove 32 is distanced apart from a lower surface of the second sheet member 14 at an interval (T) so as to restrict the vertical movement of the second sheet member 14 within a range of the interval (T).

As shown in FIG. 4, the stopper 18 is formed as a snap ring type stopper that is insertedly coupled to the stopping groove. Such a stopper 18 includes a knob portion 40 which an operator holds in inserting it into the stopping groove or pulling it out therefrom; fixing portions 42 extended from both sides of the knob portion and elastically inserted in the stopping groove 32; and guide portions 44 formed at both end portions of the fixing parts 42 and spread to thereby make insertion of the stopper into the stopping groove easy.

An operation of the supporting apparatus of the compressor in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention constructed as above will now be described.

In a process for mounting a compressor 104 into a product such as a refrigerator or the like, first, a shaft 10 is fixed perpendicularly to a base plate 110 by a method of welding, bolt engagement or the like. And, a first sheet member 12 is inserted upon the shaft 10 and disposed at an upper surface of the base plate 110. Then, a second sheet member 14 is inserted upon the shaft 10, and a damping spring 16 is mounted between the first sheet member 12 and the second sheet member 14. And a snap ring 20 is inserted upon an upper end of the shaft 10, thereby preventing detachment of the second sheet member 14. Then, a mounting bracket 120 connected to a compressor 104 is inserted in a fixing groove 32 formed at an outer circumferential surface of the second sheet member 14.

In such a state, a stopper 18 is mounted in a stopping groove 32 formed at an outer circumferential surface of the shaft 10 to thereby restrict a movement of the second sheet member 14 within an interval (T).

As the range within which the second sheet member 14 moves is restricted to the interval (T) which is small, a range that the compressor 104 can move is also restricted to the interval (T) when a product is carried by using a transporting means or the like. Accordingly, an excessive movement of the compressor 104 can be prevented, and thus pipes 106, 108 connected to the compressor 104 can be prevented from being damaged.

If the stopper 18 is separated from the shaft 10 after the product is installed at a place where the product is to be used, a range that the second sheet member 14 moves returns to an interval (H), thereby sufficiently attenuating vibration generated when the compressor 104 is driven.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

A supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with a second embodiment is the same as the supporting apparatus described in the first embodiment except that a stopper 52 for restricting a range that the second sheet member 14 moves has a different structure.

The stopper 52 in accordance with the second embodiment is a pin type stopper inserted in a through hole 50 penetratingly formed at a portion of a shaft 10, which is distanced downward from a lower surface of the second sheet member 14 as far as a distance (T) to thereby restrict a range that the second sheet member 14 moves.

As shown in FIG. 6, the stopper 52 includes: a stopping portion 54 formed in a ring type, by which the second sheet member 14 is stopped; insertion portions 56 extended from both sides of the stopping portion 54 and inserted in the through hole 50; and bent portions 58 formed by bending both end portions of the insertion portions 56, for preventing the stopper 52 from slipping out of the through hole 50.

Mounting of the stopper 52 in accordance with the second embodiment is completed by bending end portions of the insertion portions 56 after the insertion portions 56 of the stopper 52 are inserted in the through hole 50 formed at the shaft 10. After a product is installed at an installation place, if an operator grabs and pulls out the stopping portion 54, the bent portions 58 are straightened whereby the insertion portions 56 are separated from the through hole 50.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.

A supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with a third embodiment is the same as the supporting apparatus of the compressor described in the first embodiment except that a stopper has a different structure.

That is, the stopper 60 in accordance with the third embodiment is formed as a plate type stopper. The stopper 60 is disposed between a mounting bracket 120 connected to the compressor and a base plate 110, an upper surface of the stopper 60 is in contact with the mounting bracket 120, and its lower surface is in contact with an upper surface of the base plate 110, so that the vertical movement of the compressor 104 is restrained.

And, insertion grooves 62 in which the spring 16 is inserted are formed inside the stopper 60 at regular intervals

The stopper 60 in accordance with the third embodiment is made of a rubber material and supports the mounting bracket 120 so that the mounting bracket 120 does not move up and down. Accordingly, the compressor is restrained from moving up and down when the compressor is carried, thereby preventing damage of a pipe connected to the compressor 104. If the stopper 60 is pulled out after a product is installed, the second support member 14 freely moves up and down, thereby performing a damping operation by an elastic force of the spring 16.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

A supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with a fourth embodiment includes: a shaft 10 fixed perpendicularly to a base plate 110; a first sheet member 70 insertedly coupled to the shaft 10 and disposed at an upper surface of the base plate 110; a second sheet member 80 inserted upon the shaft 10 movably in a vertical direction, to which a mounting bracket 120 mounted to a compressor 104 is mounted; and a damping spring 16 disposed between the first sheet member 70 and the second sheet member 80, for preventing vibration generated from the compressor 104 from being transmitted to a product through the base plate 110.

The first sheet member 70 is made of a rubber material, a through hole inserted upon the shaft is formed at a central portion of the first sheet member 70, and a lower end of the spring 16 is supported by a lower surface of the first sheet member 70. And, a supporting portion 74 having a cylindrical shape and extended upwardly is formed at the first sheet member 70, and the spring 16 is inserted therein, thereby preventing the spring 16 from being bent.

The second rubber member 80 is made of a rubber material, and a through hole 84 is formed at the second sheet member 80 in order that the second sheet member 80 is inserted upon the shaft 10 movably. A fixing groove 86 in which the mounting bracket 120 is fixed is formed at an outer circumferential surface of the second sheet member 80. And, a supporting portion 82 extended downwardly from a lower surface of the second sheet member 80 is formed, and the spring 16 is supported by the supporting portion 82, thereby preventing the spring 16 is prevented from being bent.

Intervals (Q) between both end portions of the first sheet member 70 and those of the second sheet member 80 are long enough to absorb vibration of the compressor 104 and simultaneously restrain excessive movement of the compressor when a product in which the compressor 104 is mounted is carried to thereby prevent damage of a pipe.

The supporting apparatus of the compressor in accordance with the fourth embodiment can prevent a spring 16 from being bent in a lateral direction because the spring 16 is inserted in the support portion 74 of the first sheet member 70 and in the support portion 82 of the second sheet member 82. Because the interval (Q) between the first sheet member 70 and the second sheet member 80 is formed small, a width in which the compressor can move when a product in which the compressor 104 is mounted is carried is restricted to the interval (Q), thereby preventing pipes connected to the compressor 104 from being damaged.

In a supporting apparatus of a compressor in accordance with the present invention constructed and operated as above, a stopper is installed at an outer circumferential surface of a shaft to restrain a second sheet member from moving up and down, so that excessive movement of the compressor is prevented when a product in which the compressor is installed is carried, and thus damage of pipes connected to the compressor can be prevented.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims. 

1. A supporting apparatus of a compressor comprising: a shaft fixed perpendicularly to a base plate; a first sheet member insertedly coupled to the shaft and disposed at an upper surface of the base plate; a second sheet member inserted upon the shaft movably in a vertical direction, to which a mounting bracket connected to a compressor is mounted; a spring disposed between the first sheet member and the second sheet member, for performing a damping operation; and a stopper for preventing excessive shaking of the compressor by restricting a distance in which the second sheet member moves.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a lower portion of the shaft is fixed to an upper surface of the base plate by welding or bolt engagement.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a snap ring for preventing the second sheet member from being detached is coupled to an upper portion of the shaft.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first sheet member and a second sheet member are made of a rubber material.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stopper is separably coupled to a stopping groove formed at an outer circumferential surface of the shaft, restrains the second sheet member from moving up and down when a product in which the compressor is mounted is carried and is separated from the stopping groove after the product is installed.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the stopping groove is formed at an outer circumferential surface of the shaft, which is positioned under the second sheet member.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the stopper is formed as a snap ring type stopper insertedly coupled to an outer circumferential surface of the stopping groove.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the stopper comprises: a knob portion; fixing portions extended from both sides of the knob portion and elastically inserted upon an outer circumferential surface of the stopping groove; and guide portions formed at both end portions of the fixing portions and spread out, for guiding the stopper when the stopper is inserted in the stopping groove.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stopper is formed as a pin type stopper inserted in a through hole penetratingly formed at the shaft positioned under the second sheet member, for restraining a movement of the second sheet member.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stopper is formed as a plate type stopper installed between the base plate and the mounting bracket, for locking a vertical movement of the mounting bracket.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the stopper is made of a rubber material, and insertion grooves in which the spring is inserted are formed at an inner surface of the stopper at regular intervals.
 12. A supporting apparatus of a compressor comprising: a shaft fixed perpendicularly to a base plate; a first sheet member insertedly coupled to the shaft and disposed at an upper surface of a base plate; a second sheet member inserted upon the shaft movably in a vertical direction, to which a mounting bracket mounted to a compressor is mounted; and a spring disposed between the first sheet member and the second sheet member, for performing a damping operation, wherein a support portion for supporting the spring is upwardly extended from the first sheet member so as to prevent the spring from being bent, and a support portion for supporting the spring is downwardly extended from the second sheet member so as to prevent the spring from being bent.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first sheet member and the second sheet member are made of a rubber material.
 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein an interval between the first sheet member and the second sheet member is within a range that a pipe is not damaged due to a movement of the compressor when a product in which the compressor is mounted is carried. 